The present invention relates to stencil products for use by painters, decorators, and others, and more specifically, to a stencil for applying decorative designs or patterns on walls, ceilings, furniture, pottery, or other surfaces to be decorated. While the present invention finds particular utility in connection with a stencil product for use by painters or decorators and, accordingly, will be described in detail herein in connection with such use, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may have other applications and could be utilized, for example, for arts and crafts and other paint and design related purposes.
Home decorating remains a widespread hobby and a way to economically improve and beautify the home. One continuing area of interest in the field involves decorating interior or exterior walls or trim, ceilings, furniture, pottery, fabrics, dishware, paper, and other surfaces in the home by means of stenciling. In general, stenciling involves first forming a stencil by cutting any desired design or pattern out of a stencil blank, which typically is a strip or sheet of thin, flexible material such as paper or plastic. In addition to custom-made stencils, many pre-cut stencils of endless variations of pattern are available. Once the desired pattern is made or chosen, the stencil is then affixed temporarily by means of tape or adhesive to the surface to be decorated. Paint, ink, or any other desired pigment or coloration is applied over the affixed stencil and adheres to the surface only through the cut-out portions. After the pigment or coloration sets or binds sufficiently to the surface, the stencil is removed, leaving only the desired decorative pattern behind.
Surprisingly, there is little available in the way of stencils that are suitable for convenient use on a large surface, such as a wall or ceiling, and that are at the same time simple in construction and manufacture, and that adhere properly to the surface to be decorated. The present invention therefore provides a new and improved stencil usable in a wide variety of applications.
While many others have attempted to provide effective stencils, the approaches taken have often proved inadequate. A consistent problem with other approaches is assuring a crisp edge to the paint or other coloration applied to the surface underlying the stencil. The following patents describe various approaches to making and using stencils.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,427,447 issued Sep. 16, 1947 describes a stencil sheet having a protective covering or liner over the adhesive surface of the stencil sheet. The liner is made from ridged crepe paper and the stencil from craft paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,828 issued Mar. 30, 1948 discloses a stencil assembly which facilitates placement of stencil components on the surface to be painted. More particularly, it discloses a stencil sheet with inner 27 and outer 25 cover sheets over the stencil. The outer sheet helps to hold filler pieces in place when applying the stencil to a surface (See column 3, lines 15-22).
Plastic sheeting is used to form the stencil described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,889. A cover sheet of readily peelable material overlies the plastic layer (column 1, lines 40-52).
One embodiment of the stencil disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,068 issued Dec. 30, 1975 is formed from a laminate of polyethylene between two layers of kraft paper. A release layer overlies the adhesive layer of the stencil laminate. In this stencil, as with many others described herein, kraft paper is in direct contact with the surface to be painted and, as such, is vulnerable to wicking of paint through that paper onto the surface underlying the stencil. The paint absorbed in the paper can cause a distortion of the edges of the stencil cutout as it is applied to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,837 describes a roll of material wound on a cylinder that when unrolled, can be used to apply patterns on a surface, for example, an automobile body. The material can be either paper or plastic (column 2, lines 50-59).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,669 issued Dec. 12, 1978 discloses a multilayered stencil comprising a cloth backing closest to the surface which is laminated to a polyethylene film or other waterproof material (column 2, lines 19-40). The patent discloses individual designs across a whole wall (FIG. 5) or other locations, including the ceiling (column 3, line 69-column 3, line 2).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,527, which issued Aug. 20, 2002 based on a 1999 application, discloses a particular adhesive useable in stencils and other applications that facilitates removal from a surface by pulling the stencil in a direction parallel to that surface.
A masking tape particularly suitable for masking the corner of a window or other surface to be protected during painting is disclosed in International Publication Number WO 03/016041A1.
British Patent Specification 1,366,343 issued to Roger Norris and published Sep. 11, 1974 discloses a stencil sheet of polyvinylchloride, paint resistant paper or foil with release layers on both sides (page 2, lines 45-60, 100-106).
European Patent No. 0307 624 A1 discloses a paper stencil tape with two cover layers selectively adherent to the stencil so that internal details of patterns can be placed on a surface.
The present invention provides an improvement for stencils that overcomes the shortfalls of prior stencils and is easy to use. The stencil can be manufactured in well known shapes such as tape or sheets. More particularly, a stencil is provided that is adapted for stenciling surfaces such as walls, ceilings, or around windows, particularly when those surfaces are of a delicate nature. The outer layer of the stencil is comprised of a thin, absorbent, flat, relatively porous material (for example, masking tape, paper, etc.) of any desired size or shape and through which a desired decorative design or pattern may be cut. A flexible liquid barrier, typically a thin layer or film of plastic or polymer material, is permanently adhered to the underside of the outer, porous layer. On the side of the barrier layer opposite the outer layer is a third layer formed of pressure sensitive adhesive that is permanently fixed to the barrier layer, yet suitable to temporarily and releasably adhere or bond the stencil to the surface to be decorated. Lastly, the pressure sensitive adhesive layer may be covered with a release liner or coating that is easily removed to expose the adhesive for application of the stencil to the surface, and that prior to being removed, permits the stencils to be rolled or stacked conveniently without adhering to one another.
The stencil sheet of the invention allows a user to stencil a large surface effectively with minimum effort. The stencil sheet""s simple laminar structure is easier to manufacture and offers several advantages over known stencil materials and methods. Because it is conveniently self-adhering, the stencil sheet can be cut easily to any size or shape desired, without measuring, and it can be applied easily to large surfaces without the need to hold, or otherwise affix, sections of stencil as is known from the art. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the stencils are preformed in an L-shape suitable for stenciling on surfaces around the corners of such structures as window and door frames.
In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer is at least somewhat absorptive and therefore draws any excess paint or pigmented liquid that is applied to the stencil away from the cutout in the stencil. The next, or barrier layer inhibits bleeding of any coloration through to the areas of the surface masked by the stencil. In this embodiment, it is especially preferred that the absorbency of the outer layer is such that the paint applied over the stencil is wicked away from the edges of the pattern cut in the stencil. This, coupled with the use of a liquid barrier layer firmly, but removably, adhered to the surface creates a sharply defined outline for the pattern being applied to the wall.
In another preferred embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected to provide a firm but releasable adherence for up to thirty (30) days without damaging the underlying surface. Moreover, because the adhesive adheres the stencil firmly to the entire masked surface, seepage of the coloration behind the stencil to the masked portions of the surface is minimized or eliminated.
This invention provides an improved stencil that is economical to produce and use and that enables a user to complete a stenciling operation with well defined edges.